According to the FT Apple will be showing off a platform for connected home devices – that will let you control household devices with just your iPhone or iPad.

Though details are scant at the moment, there is no sign that they will be announcing, say, an iDishwasher or iToaster – but merely that they will be providing the software that sits between your appliances and your phone. Poor Blackberry, this is exactly what it was planning to do. Instead, we can expect the forthcoming wave of smart thermostats/fridges/whatever to come with a symbol on the box denoting official Apple support, like many accessories do now.

If the rumours turn out to be true, the implications for Apple will be interesting: For example, will they really expect everyone in the home to be brand loyal to Apple, and to replace all of their appliances with Apple compatible stuff? Surely it would make sense to have Apple’s potential remote control app available on Android too? And what of existing “Internet of Things” devices – will it be back compatible, so my existing wifi thermostat can integrate effectively with Apple’s offering?

We’ll report more when we know more – needless to say the internet of things is already hotting up to be the big battle of 2014.